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As he prepared to take office, President Kennedy spoke to a nation troubled by anxiety over America’s leadership in the world and uncertainty over whether future Americans would inherit a strong and secure economy.

“I opposed this appropriations bill for several reasons, chief among them that it is not consistent with the bipartisan agreement reached in August on spending levels. Breaking that agreement is just one more sign that this House Republican conference is simply unwilling to compromise or work with Democrats to find solutions to our challenges.

Yesterday, Republicans unveiled a more-of-the-same budget for fiscal year 2013 that ends the Medicare guarantee while protecting tax cuts for the wealthy, and puts our economic recovery at risk. The Republican budget makes the wrong choices and places the burden of deficit reduction onto seniors, the middle class, working families, and the most vulnerable by refusing to ask the wealthiest among us to contribute. Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan called on the American people to make a choice between two futures for our nation. Here’s a look at our future under the Republican budget – and the future Democrats envision instead.

Through the centuries, Americans and people around the world have seen America as the land of opportunity—a place where they and their families could “make it.” Today, Democrats are presenting an agenda that focuses on that dream and seeks to make it real for all Americans, an agenda for the 112th Congress—a job-creating agenda, which we’ve worked hard to develop.

Today the House will consider a short term continuing resolution to fund the government for the next three weeks. Democrats continue to call on Republicans to cut and compromise on a measure that funds the government for the full year so that we prevent a shutdown and stop funding the government in week-by-week increments, which is inefficient and disruptive to the private and public sector.

I want to thank Chairman Rockefeller and Ranking Member Hutchison for giving me the opportunity to speak on one of our nation’s defining challenges: strengthening and creating jobs for America’s middle class. That same goal is behind the Democrats’ Make It In America agenda. Make It In America is about creating an environment in which American businesses can thrive, innovate, and create jobs here—and it is about ensuring we have a workforce that can fill the well-paying jobs of the future. I believe that when more products are made in America, more families will be able to Make It In America.

When Republicans took the House majority, they pledged to create jobs and immediately start cutting the deficit. But they still haven’t put forward a real agenda to create jobs or to address the deficit in a serious way. A look at the past two months shows Republicans have failed to address Americans’ top priorities:

Democrats are committed to restoring fiscal responsibility and cutting spending is one part of the effort to reduce the deficit. While Democrats agree that we must reduce spending, House Republicans have introduced a short-sighted plan that does not distinguish between necessary cuts, and cuts to investments that are critical to our continued economic recovery. While Speaker Boehner has dismissed investment in long-term economic growth as “ineffective stimulus,” Democrats are focused on cutting spending without cutting smart investments in our future that create jobs, expand private sector employment and will continue growing the economy.

As Congress returns to work this week, our community is still recovering from the tragedy in Tucson, Ariz., and praying for the health of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) and all of the wounded. A tragedy like this doesn’t make our differences disappear; but this can, I hope, be a time to remember that the grave challenges our nation faces are common to us all and can only be overcome with common effort.

The America COMPETES Act expands support for research and development, helping the United States to remain the world’s innovation leader. It creates jobs for the short-term and lays a foundation for long-term prosperity. And it is an important part of the 'Make It In America' agenda—a series of important bills designed to help America regain its manufacturing strength.

“The promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act was to open the doors of opportunity in a country that prides itself on being the land of opportunity. Twenty years after the passage of the ADA, major advancements in technology now provide opportunities for greater accessibility – and pose new challenges - for individuals with hearing or visual impairments...

After only five months of the 110th Congress, the new Democratic majority in the House is passing important legislation that addresses the key priorities of the American people and moves our nation in a new direction.